


Can We Always Be This Close

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Advent Calendar Prompts [21]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Christmas Eve, F/F, Fluff, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:07:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28289673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When Clary suggests they each open one gift on Christmas Eve, Izzy doesn't expect her to pick the smallest box under the tree... which just so happens to contain an engagement ring.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood
Series: Advent Calendar Prompts [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037739
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Can We Always Be This Close

**Author's Note:**

> Advent Calendar Prompt: Christmas Eve

“Christmas Eve tradition dictates that each of us gets to open a gift early,” Clary declares, eyeing the presents under the tree. 

Isabelle frowns at that. “Not in my family it doesn’t,” she points out. And it isn’t that she doesn’t _want_ to give Clary an early present. In fact, part of her is so nervous for tomorrow that she wonders why she’s waiting at all and hasn’t already given Clary the small box that’s hidden in the far back of the present pile.

Except she knows _exactly_ why - because she’s stalling. Isabelle planned on proposing for weeks now, and each time she came up with some excuse not to, some reason why it’d be better to wait. She hoped that putting the ring under the tree would force her to go through with it when Clary got to the box on Christmas morning, but all day she’s been thinking about sneaking out to the living room once Clary’s asleep and taking it back to wait a little longer. 

So now, with Clary sifting through the wrapped presents under the tree, Izzy weighs her options. She could say no and insist they wait until tomorrow - but Clary’s already so excited and Izzy doesn’t want to ruin her eagerness for the holiday, and she definitely doesn’t want to risk starting a fight over something stupid right now. 

“Alright. One present tonight,” Izzy agrees, figuring the chances of Clary picking _that_ one are slim-to-none. It’s small and hidden, and wouldn’t someone logically go for the largest gift if you can only pick one to-

“I want this one!” Clary says, and Izzy’s breath catches in her throat as Clary pulls out _the goddamn ring box_ from underneath the tree. 

“No,” Izzy says, moving forward. “Not that one.” 

But Clary’s already sliding her nails under the tape and pulling the paper off, smirking and shaking her head. “That’s not how it works. You don’t get to pick-” Clary starts to tease, her words stopping abruptly at the sight of the black velvet box. They aren’t big jewelry-gifters, and Clary prefers necklaces and bracelets. In fact, the few rings Clary does own are hand-me-downs from her mother and grandmother, of purely sentimental value. It doesn’t take a genius to put together the only sort of ring Izzy would buy her. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Clary breathes out. She hasn’t even opened the box yet, she’s just staring at it wide-eyed. “Iz-”

“This is for the best,” Izzy says, forcing herself into action because there’s no going back now. “Because otherwise, I’d probably hide it away for another few days, then another few weeks, because I don’t know how I managed to get someone as perfect as you in my life, and I’m afraid that asking you to stay forever might just jinx whatever luck kept you here so far.” 

There are tears in Clary’s eyes now, which immediately bring tears to Isabelle’s, but Izzy keeps speaking. This isn’t the speech she practiced in her head; it’s bits and pieces of a lot of thoughts she’d had about proposing over the past few weeks, and she tries to focus on the most important ones now before she loses them. Isabelle takes the box from Clary as she continues, opening it up to reveal an emerald engagement ring. 

“But I’m going to ask anyway because I cannot imagine going through a single day without your warmth, kindness, and love in it. You’ve changed my life in more ways than I can count, and all of them for the better. I love you, Clarissa Adele Fairchild, and I’d love to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?” 

“Yes,” Clary says, almost before Izzy can finish the question. “I love you so much, Iz.” 

Izzy takes the ring out to put on Clary’s finger but Clary stops her. “Wait,” Clary says, which isn’t exactly what you want to hear immediately after getting engaged, though Izzy does her best to ignore the knot in her stomach at the sudden hesitation. 

Clary turns back to the tree, shifting a few things around before she pulls out a small present with Izzy’s name on it - a small, square present, that’s suspiciously the same size as the one she just opened herself. 

“I can’t believe I ruined my own proposal,” Clary says, shaking her head as she unwraps the box herself and opens it to show Isabelle a beautiful ruby engagement ring. “But I’m going to say it anyway. Isabelle Sophia Lightwood, I’ve never met anyone so passionate and caring in my entire life. You put your entire heart and soul into everything you do, including loving me, and that’s not something I’ll ever take for granted. I know there’s really no point in actually _asking_ now, but-” 

“Yes,” Isabelle says anyway, the rings momentarily forgotten as she pulls Clary in for a kiss that, true to Clary’s claim, Izzy pours her entire heart and soul into. Their reluctance to break apart is replaced by an eagerness to actually exchange rings, and Izzy breathes a sigh of relief that Clary’s fits perfectly. Clary mirrors her when Izzy’s ring slides on without issue as well, and they both take a minute to let the moment settle around them. 

Izzy hadn’t been sure at the start that they’d ever get here - that she’d get to have this sort of contentment in her life of constant uncertainty and danger. But now that they’re here, now that she has it, has _Clary_ , she can’t imagine her life any other way. 

And thankfully, now she doesn’t have to.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


End file.
